Attorneys
Chamberlain Hrdlicka Names Houston Shareholder Christine Kirchner as Firm’s General Counsel
Christine Kirchner, shareholder and Insurance Law practice chair at Chamberlain Hrdlicka, was named earlier this year as the firm’s General Counsel. She will maintain her active insurance law and complex commercial litigation practices. In her new role, she is responsible for providing counsel to the firm’s managing shareholder and Board of Directors, assisting the firm’s attorneys on legal and ethical issues, implementing risk management and insurance programs, assuring firm compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and responding to legal issues and claims.
“We’ve worked side-by-side with Christine for decades, and we are excited that she is willing to add these new responsibilities on behalf of the firm. Christine is eminently qualified to serve as our General Counsel thanks to her extensive litigation and insurance law experience, her collaborative and transparent leadership style, and her high credibility with other attorneys at the firm,” said Larry Campagna, Managing Shareholder at Chamberlain Hrdlicka.
”I’m honored that my colleagues have asked me to step into the role of General Counsel. After 27 years with the firm, it’s my privilege to serve the attorneys here and give back to the organization that raised and mentored me. I look forward to maintaining and strengthening best practices in all areas of the firm so that our attorneys can continue to deliver the high quality counsel and work product to our clients for which the firm has been known for nearly 60 years.”
With more than 30 years of experience in the courtroom and before arbitration tribunals, Kirchner has successfully represented clients in a variety of complex civil matters. Her client representation focuses on pre-litigation solutions as well as successfully and efficiently navigating clients through the active phase of the dispute, whether that be in litigation or arbitration. As a certified mediator, she brings unique perspective to her clients in fashioning creative resolutions for complex business disputes where protracted litigation does not make good business sense. Her experience in insurance includes all aspects from underwriting, coverage interpretation through claim resolution, including subrogation. Her intimate understanding of insurance contracts has enhanced her success in insurance, construction and energy litigation.
Kirchner has represented clients in all forums, including state and federal courts, as well as binding arbitration before the American Arbitration Association, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, International Court of Arbitration, International Chamber of Commerce and the International Center for Dispute Resolution, Houston Maritime Arbitrators Association and other private alternate dispute resolution forums. Her civil litigation practice focuses on both complex commercial and tort matters. Her expertise in commercial matters ranges from complex construction and energy disputes, insurance coverage and bad faith litigation, securities litigation, professional liability for financial service professionals, minority and derivative shareholder claims, disputes related to ownership succession of closely held corporations, to wrongful competition and breach of contract actions. She has also handled Qui tam or whistleblower suits over the years for healthcare professionals and government contractors facing claims related to violations of the False Claims Act.
Kirchner received a bachelor’s degree in finance, magna cum laude, from Southern Methodist University and her law degree from the Northwestern University School of Law. Thanks to her deep experience, Christine is a frequent author and speaker at construction and insurance-related seminars and conferences. She is an active member of the American Bar Association: Tort Insurance Practice Section and the Insurance Coverage Section; the Federal Bar Association; the State Bars of Texas and Illinois; the Texas Association Defense Counsel; the Defense Research Institute; CEB: Counsel on Ethical Billing.
With a deep interest in her community, she provides pro bono legal and ad valorem tax work for local economically disadvantaged businesses and has been a long-term supporter and fundraiser for the Camp Sangamon for Boys in Vermont, , the Mission of Yahweh, the Mercury Orchestra, Texas Center for the Missing, and Aid to Victims of Domestic Abuse (AVDA). In the past, she has served as a Trustee for the Awty International School, chairing its Advancement Committee, and a member of the Northwestern University School of Law’s Admissions and Interview Committee.